Now that ‘Crossroads in the City’ is up and running, it’s a good time to reflect again on how God views church and what it will mean for our gathering on Sunday nights. The Bible makes it clear that God’s attention, work and plans for this world actually centre on the church. People he has purchased with his own blood come together through the power of the Gospel to experience and play their part in his new Kingdom community all under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
When congregations are born and serve together in Gospel unity it is a demonstration of God’s power and shows that the extraordinary news about Jesus has and is making a difference. This means Church is no mere social gathering of people with some common interests or hobbies. No, church is like no other group for it is the gathering of people who have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of God’s beloved Son. (Col.1:13)
This gathering of God’s people is bound by Christ’s blood and God’s desire for us is to meet regularly to hear from his Word and to encourage and build each other up. Paul describes the church using the metaphor of a body (1 Cor.12-13; Eph.4) where every member matters and where every member has a part to play. Indeed the picture we are given of church is of a vibrant, growing, loving, Spirit-filled and Christ honouring community who have been transformed and continue to be transformed by the power of the gospel to the benefit of everyone around them. How good does that sound?!
For our own sake, for that of our world, and for the ultimate glory of God we wish to pursue a model of church where we can be that kind of a community. A place where there is a hunger and love for the Word of God, where there is repentance and joy and genuine love for others, a place where there is an authenticity of speech and action that honours and points to the wonderful Gospel that has brought us life.
Doesn’t Canberra needs to see this kind of thing in action? Don’t we all need to experience and take part in a church like this?
Dave Macca’s sermon on Sunday was a great reminder of who we are called to be: God’s own possession to declare his praises (1 Peter 2:9-10). As such we want our new congregation to reflect God’s desire for us. But do we perhaps sometimes under-estimate how good, how significant, how transforming church can be? Do we perhaps not notice the miracle that every Sunday night is evidence of? Can we forget that blood has been spilled for our gathering and every individual involved. And rebels have been secured eternal joy and comfort in this world of tears, pain and sin at no cost to them….huge cost to Christ.
So come each Sunday night with something of God’s heart and desire and hope for his church…and let’s allow his plans to keep shaping and reforming ours. Then let’s see how God will use his ‘Crossroads in the City’ to be making a difference.
Friday, 22 February 2008
6 comments:
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I completely agree Marcus, but a question nags at me. Why is it so easy for us to not notice the miracle that every Sunday night is evidence of? How do gatherings of blood-bought people, filled with the Spirit of God himself become such mundane, routine gatherings sometimes?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that Canberra needs to see a community where there is a hunger and love for the word of God; where there is repentance, joy and genuine love for others. I truly long for the world to see what God's power can do to transform sinful people. Yet,(and forgive me if I've got this wrong) it doesn't seem to me like we're there yet.
I don't say that to whinge or complain. I'm excited by what's happening with Crossroads in the City and I want to see God do awesome things. I just wonder why, when I walk into church on Sunday, I'm not immediately struck by the thought 'Wow, God is truly working in these people'.
Perhaps the fault is with me. Perhaps I'm not looking at the right things or coming with the right attitude. Certainly, I could be doing better at preparing heart and mind before I arrive at church. I think I need to start asking myself the question: 'Do my words and behaviour at church demonstrate what an amazing gospel I believe, and what an amazing God I serve?'
Right on the mark... But I think these concerns come from a wrong attitude.
ReplyDeleteIf another person says to me that "this church is not what I need" or "I am looking for a church that has people similar to me" I am going to scream. You go to serve our great God by loving others - not to be served!
If we came with this attitude the biggest problem we would have is new people possibly feeling smothered.
Hmmm. It seems people are assuming from my previous comment that I was talking about welcoming and social interactions. Really, I wasn't thinking about how friendly people are or how much I like the people I see at church. I'm also quite keen to serve my church and my God. My issue is not that our church isn't 'meeting my needs.'
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine read my comment and wrote me an email suggesting something similar. What follows is (a slightly modified version of) my response:
[My concern is] not about who I talk to or who talks to me so much as the whole atmosphere and the expectations I (and everyone else) have of what's going to go on for the evening. I don't go into it thinking 'hey, I'm going to meet with a bunch of people that God has completely transformed', but rather thinking 'So... another church service where I will sit, stand, sing, sit, listen, talk, leave.' I think it's partly the format of the service, and partly the atmosphere, but yes, the issue is mainly my attitude. Yes, I do need to repent. But I wrote my comment because I suspect I'm not the only one.
Personally, I'd like to hear more stories from non-superstars. People who aren't doing MTS or going part-time so they can run more bible studies. I'd like to hear about how people have been impacted in their 'normal' lives at work, in their tutorial classes, in their sports teams, in their Anime societies. I'd like to hear stories from people who've struggled terribly with sin, and still struggle, but have decided that the fight is worth fighting and so keep on struggling in spite of discouragements.
I actually want to hear some really good reasons as to why our God is worth worshipping that go beyond simply 'because the bible says so'. Yes, I know it does, and I believe it. But it's one thing to be able to pass an exam on 'Is God good', and another thing entirely to answer the question: 'So, how has God been working in your life and the lives of people you know or see at church?' I mean, we're supposed to be the people saved by grace, not works. So, if we really believed the gospel--If I really believed the gospel the way I should--then we'd happily admit our failures and shortcomings as evidence of how amazing it is that God could forgive us. We'd share our successes only as evidence of how amazing it is that God could take such broken people and change us so that we do good stuff. But I don't do it and I don't really know many other people who do either. I could get an A+ on a 'Justification By Faith' theory test, but I suspect I may be looking at F's for the practical.
I suppose it is possible that some of this may have to do with the small circle I relate to at Crossroads in the City, but I think the same thing could be applied to any church service I've been to. Whether it be a flamboyant, passionate pentecostal share-fest or a dry, conservative ultra-reformed service, I just don't think we really get grace.
Can I add as a post-script, I'm really not trying to be down on our church. As I said, I'm excieted about what's happening and really want to see God do great things. I write because I suspect that I'm not the only one who struggles someitmes with mundanity.
Interesting discussion...and I don't want to get into it other than one small passsing comment.
ReplyDeleteThere are not such things as 'superstars'. MTSers and those who do part time work are the same as the rest of us...they were impacted in their 'normal' lives...at work...in tutorials...they've struggled terribly with sin...and continue to struggle!!..and they're still willing to give a lot of things up to serve God as best they can. For me you need not look any further than these if you want examples of folks who 'have decided that the fight is worth fighting and so keep on struggling in spite of discouragements.' I'm not saying they're necessarily the best examples...but the work that our Father is doing in them shouldn't be discounted because they're perceived as 'superstars'!!!
Those in part-time and full-time ministry are just like the rest of us...sinful people who've been impacted by the grace of God!!!
Last week, in the service, the guy who runs packup gave his testimony. He doesn't do fulltime Gospel work (not as a job), he's an ordinary guy.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that's what Horatio called for with the 'superstars' comment; more of that. Which is not to in any way put down missionaries, pastors, or MTS workers; I don't think he doesn't want to hear from them. It's simply a call for more examples the rest of us can relate to a little easier.
Not only that, but when we do hear from people, we tend to only hear the positive side, and (at best) skim over struggles people have.
If MTS workers et al "they've struggled terribly with sin...and continue to struggle!!.." (which, of course they have and do), perhaps it would be an encouragement for us to hear that during their testimonies? It could also help get rid of the perception of them as 'superstars'.
At least, that's my reading.
Hey guys, good discussion here and some good things to take note of especially the tension we always find ourselves in at church. Yes we are a family experiencing and expressing the wonder and power of God's grace through Christ, but at the same time we are all very much 'works in progress'. Because grace is so fundamental I'm expecting church to be filled with broken, immature and needy people, not a whole bunch of people who've got it all sorted out.
ReplyDeleteI came across a cool little quote this week: "The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints." I like it because it's real and because God will work and change the person with the humble and hungry attitude that says, 'I'm damaged goods and I need Jesus.'
This is not to suggest that we shouldn't be a holy people, dedicated to the gospel. On the contrary, that very attitude is the key to holiness, wholeness and transformation. Indeed, it's the very evidence that it's happening in our midst.
Let's keep praying that we see that kind of authentic, gospel-life in action in ourselves, and in our congregation.